Issues
Harvard and the Trump administration return to court over international students
The hearing on whether to indefinitely block President Trump's June 4th proclamation on Harvard's international students is scheduled in federal court in Boston.
People told my dad not to bother educating his 4 daughters. He didn’t listen
On Father's Day, Esther Ngumbi thinks of the sacrifices her Kenyan dad made to ensure that not only his son but his four daughters got an education. He'd say, "I choose to educate you, my girls."
On World Elder Abuse Day officials warn of financial scams targeting seniors
Sunday, June 15 is World Elder Abuse Day, a time officials raise awareness for seniors about potential scams they could come into contact with. According to FBI data, seniors lost $4.8 billion to scammers in 2024.
In one of the nation’s most polluted communities, Trump terminates funding for air monitoring
Residents in majority-Black north Birmingham have long been subjected to industrial pollution. The new administration has cut funding for a program aimed at measuring the impact.
10 years after the deadly church shooting, a new history of ‘Mother Emanuel’
Reporter Kevin Sack's new book is a history of Charleston's Emanuel AME Church, the oldest Black congregation in the South, where a white supremacist killed nine worshippers a decade ago.
Oil prices jump and stocks tumble following Israel’s attack on Iran
Israel's attack on Iran sparked the biggest jump in crude oil prices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. Stocks fell sharply.
Trauma-informed nurses help sexual assault survivors. Most hospitals don’t have them.
Alabama has 44 certified SANEs for the entire state. Louisiana has 42. Mississippi only has 6 — for a population of almost three million.
A popular climate website will be hobbled, after Trump administration eliminates entire staff
Climate.gov is the main source of timely climate-related information for the public. It will stop publishing new information because the Trump administration laid off everyone who worked on it.
Trump’s efforts to defund NPR and PBS playing out in Congress and the courts
Trump and other Republicans want to rescind more than $1 billion in federal funding already approved for NPR and PBS. The president also issued an executive order intended to prevent federal agencies from funding the two public broadcasting networks.
Alabama drops four places in national child well-being rankings
Alabama ranked 43rd nationally for child well-being in the latest KIDS COUNT data book from by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Almost all of the Fulbright board resigns, citing Trump administration interference
Former Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board members said the Trump administration usurped their authority by denying awards to "a substantial number" of the individuals it had selected for the program.
Why there’s an unexpected surge in people claiming Social Security
Some early filers say worries about the future under the Trump administration moved up their timelines.
Mississippi’s tech scene is in a catch-22. How can it move forward?
Mississippi ranks near the bottom for the size of its tech industry. But despite its shortcomings, some believe the state is not far from its own tech boom.
Live in a hurricane-prone area? Here’s how to prepare your home for flooding
If you're worried about flooding this hurricane season, here are some ways to harden your home with flooding and climate change in mind.
Inflation is holding steady as Trump’s tariffs have yet to fully hit
Consumer prices in May were up 2.4% from a year ago, but inflation eased on a monthly basis, according to the latest figures from the Labor Department
A federal law helps homeless students get an education. Trump’s budget could weaken it
Federal law grants students experiencing homelessness a right to extra support and protections. Advocates say President Trump's proposed budget would strip that law of its power.
The U.S. and China have agreed on a framework to resolve their trade disputes
After two days of talks in London, the U.S. and China have agreed in principle on a framework to carry out an agreement they reached on resolving their trade disputes last month, Chinese state media said.
Alabama executes Gregory Hunt by nitrogen gas for 1988 murder of Karen Lane
Hunt's execution marks Alabama's third this year, on pace to match the six it carried out last year, and the fifth time it used the controversial method.
Looking into Alabama’s ‘Blood Money’: how taxpayers foot the bill for lawsuits by prisoners
The Alabama Department of Corrections settled more than 100 lawsuits against its corrections officers for excessive use of force since 2020. Inmates say officers left them with broken bones and brain damage. Beth Shelburne, a Birmingham-based independent investigative reporter, found that taxpayers are covering the cost in her four-part series for the Alabama Reflector called "Blood Money."
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, Pew study says
The Pew report reveals how religious disaffiliation and population growth have influenced the global religious landscape.
Canceled climate grants would have cut pollution while boosting production, jobs at two Alabama ironworks
The U.S. Department of Energy rescinded $3.7 billion in clean energy grants last month, saying the projects selected would not generate a positive return on investment.
Is all this talk of recession indicators a sign a recession is coming?
For generations, people have looked for small, informal signs that a recession is coming or already here. This phenomenon recently exploded on social media, often in joke form.
Why knowing your neighbors can be an important climate solution
Earthaven Ecovillage fared remarkably well after Hurricane Helene. The community had backup power and water systems, as well as food supplies, but members also knew how to work together in a crisis.
By removing invasive bullfrogs, scientists help Yosemite’s native turtles recover
The huge amphibians "will literally just feed on anything that fits into their mouth" — including turtle hatchlings. Clearing thousands of frogs from ponds helped other species stage a comeback.
Wall Street CEOs are cycling through the five stages of tariff grief
As they process President Trump's chaotic tariffs and other economic policies, some of the country's most powerful CEOs are moving from denial and bargaining to public anger and depression.
All the ways the Trump administration is going after colleges and universities
In seeking to reshape elite universities, the Trump administration is using several tactics, including freezing federal grants and contracts, and threatening colleges' tax-exempt status.
5 simple (and cheap) things to make your house use less energy
Sometimes reducing your home's energy use can be as simple as opening a window or buying tape. Here are five easy ways to have a more climate-friendly home and save on energy bills at the same time.
This city is exploring an unconventional solution to water scarcity: sewage
A booming population and changing climate have strained water supplies in St. George, Utah. Local leaders are betting that recycled wastewater can keep the city's taps flowing.
‘I don’t have no pity party’: Alabama execution set for Tuesday evening
Gregory Hunt is scheduled to be executed for the 1988 murder of Karen Lane in Walker County. It would be Alabama's fifth execution by nitrogen gas.
Trump’s trade war is raising money for the government, but at whose expense?
Tariff collections are up sharply in the last 2 months. Congressional forecasters say tariffs could help reduce the federal debt, but they'll also lead to higher inflation and slower economic growth.
Pope Leo criticizes political nationalism and prays for reconciliation and dialogue
The pope celebrated Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square in front of tens of thousands faithful, and asked the Holy Spirit to "break down barriers and tear down the walls of indifference and hatred."
Coco Gauff wins the French Open to claim her 2nd Grand Slam title
The 21-year-old American star battled back over three sets to defeat the world's top-ranked player, Aryna Sabalenka. Gauff is the first American to win at Roland-Garros since Serena Williams in 2015.
